Is CAT Exam Tough? Is it really Tough to Crack | Learn How Tough CAT is?

Is CAT Exam Tough?

To determine the difficulty level of CAT, candidates need to get comfortable with the pattern of this exam. The competition level of this exam is high, and this high competition level makes this exam tough. The crucial areas of this exam include the eligibility criteria, question pattern, and CAT Syllabus. But if you are prepared well, then CAT Exam is not too tough to crack. Note the below section to understand the exam structure.

CAT Paper Pattern

The questions of this exam are of 2 types: MCQs and TITA. Additionally, there is a trend of CAT Negative Marking for every wrong answer. The total duration of this exam is 120 Minutes with 40 Minutes of sectional-time division.

The candidates can get questions from the below-mentioned 3 Sections.

• Quantitative Aptitude (QA)
• Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)
• Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)

Note the below table to understand the chapters covered in this exam.

CAT Topics
Quantitative Aptitude (QA)	Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension (VARC)	Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning (DILR)
Arithmetic Algebra Set Theory Percentage Interest Trigonometry Geometry Mensuration	Reading Comprehension Vocabulary Grammar Sentence Correction Inference Analogies Phrases and Idioms	Chart (Bar, Pie, Line, Pie) Graphs Venn Diagrams Puzzles Coding and Deciding Arrangement Blood Relation Clocks and Calendar

☛ See Also: CAT Exam Pattern

Marks Distribution in CAT Exam

The candidates also need to know the marking scheme of the CAT to get an idea of whether Is CAT Exam Tough? Knowing the marks distribution will help the candidates to make the best CAT Preparation strategies. The below table represents the latest CAT Marking Scheme.

Components	Details
Number if Section	3 Sections: QA DILR VARC
Total Number of Questions	66
Marks Distribution	+3 for Every Correct Answer in MCQ & TITA -1 for Every Incorrect Answer in MCQ No Negative Marking in TITA

CAT Time Duration

Some students take time constraints excessively, leading them to believe that the exam is difficult. It’s important to understand that no one attempts all of the questions. You’d have to skip a few time-consuming questions and concentrate on those that take less time and are easier to score in CAT Question Paper.

We should focus on our strengths now that we know we shouldn’t tackle all the questions. Many students focus on their weaknesses; however, this is not an intelligent practice, especially in competitive exams like the CAT; consequently, you must work on your strengths to pass the CAT.

Important Facts That Make CAT Exam Tough

There are essential factors that intensify the difficulty level of this exam. The candidates need to overcome this extra burden to ace the CAT smoothly. Now the question is, Is CAT Exam Tough? Note the below points to overview the criteria that make CAT Exam Tough.

• Difficulty Level of the Questions: As per the CAT Exam Analysis, this exam has been moderately challenging over the past years. Because of the study techniques, the candidates need to study strategically to clear this exam.

• Huge Syllabus: There is no definite syllabus for the CAT Exam, as the authority does not release any official syllabus. So, the candidates must be prepared by curating the previous years’ papers. Additionally, the topics covered in this exam are enormous. Each section needs dedicated study to prepare well.

• Unavoidable Competition: The competition level of this exam is high. Approximately 2 Lakh students appear every year to get various career opportunities, so there is a race to Score 100 percentile in CAT on everyone’s mind. From that viewpoint, CAT is tough.

• High Cutoff for IIMs: Most of the top IIMs want a high CAT Cut Off for shortlisted candidates for final admission. If not prepared well, it will be quite difficult for the candidates to ace this exam with good CAT Result.

Is CAT Exam Tough – Know the Difficulty Level

The toughness of the CAT varies across the years and depends on various parameters. Below is an overview of the difficulty level of CAT Exam over the years. This is as per the student’s feedback and exam analysis.

CAT Exam	Conducting IIM	Difficulty Level of CAT Exam
CAT 2022	IIM Bangalore	Moderately Difficult
CAT 2021	IIM Ahmedabad	Moderate. VARC was easier
CAT Exam 2020	IIM Indore	Moderately-Difficult
CAT 2019	IIM Kozhikode	Moderate Difficult Level, where VARC was slightly more complex.
CAT 2018	IIM Calcutta	Moderate Difficult
CAT 2017	IIM Lucknow	DILR was difficult while VARC was easier
CAT Exam 2016	IIM Bangalore	Difficult; therefore, CAT Cutoff was lower.
CAT 2015	IIM Ahmedabad	DILR was more difficult than VARC and QA